ED: GOOD MORNING.
IT IS SUNDAY, AUGUST 4.
IN STUDIO WITH US THIS MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESSWOMAN AYANNA PRESSLEY.
LET’S GO "ON THE RECORD." >> FROM WCVB CHANNEL 5, THE INSIDE WORD FROM WASHINGTON TO BEACON HILL.
TODAY’S NEWSMAKERS ARE GOING ON THE RECORD.
ED: EVERY GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO OTR.
I’M ED HARDING ALONG WITH JANET WU.
OUR GUEST IS CONGRESSWOMAN AYANNA PRESSLEY.
THE PURPOSE OF DEMOCRAT WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE SEVENTH DISTRICT.
BEFORE THAT SHE SERVED TO THE BOSTON’S CITY COUNCIL.
SHE ATTENDED BU, SHE LIVES IN DORCHESTER, AND IS ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT CONGRESSWOMEN IN THE WORLD NOW.
SOMETHING FOR JOINING US.
JANET: THANKS FOR MAKING TIME FOR BEING HERE.
REP. PRESSLEY: IT IS GOOD TO BE HOME.
JANET: LET’S DIVE INTO IT.
RACISM IS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN.
AFTER LISTENING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP ATTACK ENTIRE CITIES LIKE BALTIMORE AND LEGISLATORS LIKE YOU SPECIFICALLY, AND LISTENING TO THE DEMOCRATS WHO WANT TO RUN AGAINST HIM, WHO MAKES THE MOST
CONVINCING ARGUMENT TO BRING OUT SPECIFICALLY VOTERS OF COLOR NEXT YEAR?
REP. PRESSLE I THINK THAT CASE IS STILL BEING MADE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I DO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT WERE EXPRESSED ON THE STAGE BY A COUPLE OF THE CANDIDATES THAT ANYONE ON THAT STAGE WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE CURRENT OCCUPANT
OF THIS WHITE HOUSE.
I’M VERY PROUD OF THE BENCH THAT WE HAVE PUT FORWARD, THE CALIBER OF CANDIDATES.
BUT I DO WANT TO CAUTION -- THERE ARE TWO THINGS HAPPENING THAT I FIND DANGEROUS.
THE FIRST IS THAT WE ARE STARTING TO HAVE IT REPUBLICAN -- STARTING TO PARROT REPUBLICAN TALKING POINTS ABOUT WHO WE ARE.
I H AT THE DEMOCRATIC RETREAT GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK SPEAKING MY COLLEAGUES AND I SAYING THAT WE ARE IN TROUBLE WHEN WE START TO REPEAT THE PUBLIC AND TALKING POINTS.
I REJECT THE PREMISE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE ANY FALSE CHOICES ABOUT WHETHER TO ENERGIZE OUR BASE OR RECAPTURE WORKING-CLASS WHITE VOTERS.
THIS IS A FALSE CHOICE.
THAT IS WHAT I AM WATCHING AND I’M WORRIED ABOUT.
IF ANYTHING IS GOING TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE AND KEY PEOPLE AT HOME, IS ON WE ARE PARROTING REPUBLICAN TALKING POINTS WHETHER ONE IMMIGRATION REFORM OR HEALTH CARE OR IDENTITY
POLITICS AS I JUST REJECT THE FALSE CHOICES THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUT FORWARD.
JANET: I GUESS THAT LEADS ME TO THE QUESTION -- ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE CORY BOOKERS AND KAMALA HARRISES SHOULD NOT BE GOING AFTER JOE BIDEN SO HEAVILY ABOUT HIS PAST?
REP. PRESSLEY: FIRST O ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT RACIAL JUSTICE IS NOT ONE THAT SHOULD BE DISPROPORTIONATELY THE BURDEN, THE RESPONSIBILITY ONLY
BY THE CANDIDATES OF COLOR THAT ARE IN THE RACE.
THE COUNTRY IS AT AN INFLECTION POINT.
WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS.
THE ARGUMENT OF THIS WHITE HOUSE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION WITH THEIR TWEETS AND POLICIES ARE EMBOLDENING NATIVISM, WHITE SUPREMACY, AND HATE.
THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON, AND CANDIDATES ARE COMING TO THE STAGE PREPARE TO BE COMPETITIVE AND MAKE THEIR CASE, AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
ED: DO YOU BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT IS A RACIST?
REP. PRESSLEY: YES, I DO, ABSOLUTELY.
ED: LET’S TALK ABOUT -- REP. PRESSLEY: BUT I WANT TO SAY THIS, I DON’T THINK HE IS A RACIST BECAUSE OF THE VITRIOL HE SPEWS.
IT IS BASED ON A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR THAT BEGAN WELL BEFORE HE WAS THE OCCUPANT OF THIS WHITE HOUSE, EVERYTHING FROM LEADING THE CHARGE OF BIRTHERISM TO DENYING MENTAL UNITS TO
AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO CALLING FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND THE DEATH PENALTY FOR WHO WE NOW KNOW TODAY ARE THE EXONERATED FIVE FROM CENTRAL PARK RAPE.
ED: AND YET THE PRESIDENT WILL TALK ABOUT -- HE WILL SAY AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOBS -- THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE -- REP. PRESSLEY: HE DOESN’T EVEN SAY AFRICAN-AMERICANS, HE SAYS
"THE BLACKS." AT THIS POINT IT IS FATIGUING, THE LEVEL OF VENOM AND VITRIOL AND RACIST RHETORIC.
BUT I AM NOT ALLOWING THAT TO DISTRACT ME FROM THE REAL WORK IN THE REAL HARM THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS CAUSING WITH RACIST AND HURTFUL POLICIES.
I CANNOT OBSESS ABOUT TWEETS WHEN I NEEDED TO BE FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT OF MORE THAN HATEFUL AND HURTFUL RHETORIC.
HATEFUL AND HURTFUL AND DRACONIAN POLICIES.
ED DID YOU GO TO HEMPSTEAD, FLORIDA?
WHERE DID YOU GO -- REP. PRESSLEY: I WENT TO EL PASO, TEXAS.
ED THE PRESIDENT CLAIMS HE HAS RESCINDED POLICIES SEPARATING CHILDREN FROM FAMILIES BUT CLEARLY THAT HAS NOT STOPPED.
WHAT IS THE HOUSE WILLING TO DO AT THIS POINT?
REP. PRESSLEY: THE HOUSE CONTINUES TO DO ITS JOB.
MITCH MCCONNELL AND THE SENATE ARE NOT DOING THEIRS.
I CANNOT EVEN SAY -- IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN, BUT THIS IS TO IS DOING WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO.
THAT MEANS THE SYSTEM IS FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED, AND WE NEED A SYSTEM THAT IS -- THAT WORKS, THAT IS COMPASSIONATE, THAT IS HUMANE, THAT PRIORITIZES FAMILIES STAYING TOGETHER, AND
SEEKING ASYLUM IS A LEGAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
THAT IS MUCH MORE IN KEEPING WITH -- WE ARE LOSING OUR STANDING IN THE GLOBE.
WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE A PLACE OF REFUGE AND A BEACON OF HOPE AND MIGRANT FAMILIES FLEEING POVERTY AND VIOLENCE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SETTLE INTO COMMUNITY TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER WHILE AWAITING
A RULING ON THEIR CASE.
MIGHT I ADD 80% OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT LIVE HERE, SO THEY ARE READY HAVE SPONSORS THEY COULD BE CONNECTED WITH AN SETTLING IN COMMUNITY WITH.
JANE YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW THAT VOTED AGAINST GIVING MORE MONEY FOR BORDER CONTROL.
HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT AND ARE YOU PLANNING TO WATCH IT VERY CAREFULLY FROM ESPECIALLY SINCE HE VOTED AGAINST IT -- YOU VOTED AGAINST
I HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE OF SERVIN UNDER THE LEADERSHIP -- I TOOK THAT VOTE BECAUSE I CONFERRED WITH MY DISTRICT.
LOOK, I WORK IN WASHINGTON, BUT I ANSWERED YOU AND I WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS SEVENTH, AND THIS IS A DISTRICT THAT IS 40% IMMIGRANT.
THE FEAR AND THE ABUSE OF POWER IS NOT HYPERBOLE, IT IS NOT IMAGINED.
WE HAVE SEEN THE OVERREACH OF ICE RIGHT HERE IN THE MASSACHUSETTS SEVEN.
THAT FEAR IS PALPABLE.
I TOOK A VOTE THAT WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR DISTRICT FROM OUR MAYORS TO OUR SUFFOLK COUNTY DA TO OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL.
WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE, FOCUSING ON THE BORDER COMMUNITIES, BUT THE MASSACHUSETTS SEVENTH IS 40% IMMIGRANT.
JANET: LET’S TALK ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY.
EACH OF ADMINISTRATION HAS BROUGHT IT BACK AFTER THAT THE CHILDREN MINISTER--THE TRIBE ADMINISTRATION HAS BROUGHT IT BACK AFTER 16 YEARS AND YOU ARE TRYING TO BAN IT.
WHAT CHANCES DO YOU HAVE IN THE SENATE?
REP. PRESSLEY: I AM AN INTERNAL OPTIMIST, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS INCUMBENT ON US TO MEET AND LEGISLATE ON ISSUES OF CARE AND CONCERN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY TO
MASSACHUSETTS SEVEN.
I AM NOT SURPRISED BY THIS MOVE BY THIS ADMINISTRATION.
IT IS VERY CONSISTENT.
BUT I AM PUSHING FOR THIS AND ALREADY GAINING SOME SUPPORT ON IT.
I DON’T THINK THAT BECAUSE THE SENATE DOESN’T WANT TO DO THE JOB THAT WE SHOULD RECUSE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE TO LEAD, AND WHEN WE DO TAKE BACK THE SENATE AND WE DO TAKE BACK
THE WHITE HOUSE, WE WILL HAVE CREATED A NEW FLOOR ON THESE ISSUES.
FOR ME, GIVEN HOW FLAWED OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS AND THE RACIAL BIASES AND JUST HOW UNPREDICTABLE -- IT IS NOT RELIABLE.
WE KNOW THAT FOR EVERY 10 PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH ONE OF THEM HAS ULTIMATELY BEEN FOUND INNOCENT.
THOSE ARE JUST AWFUL ODDS.
AS SOMEONE WHO REALLY STRIVES TO DO THIS WORK FROM A SPACE THAT IS VICTIM-CENTERED, SO MANY OF THE FAMILIES THAT I’VE CONSULTED AND CONFERRED WITH WHO HAVE BEEN ROBBED WITH THE LOVED ONES DUE
TO A HEINOUS ACT, THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY WANT, EITHER.
ED YOU MENTIONED WORKING WITH THE SENATE.
YOU AND SENATOR CORY BOOKER HAVE INTRODUCED AN IDEA LABELED B BABY BOND BILL.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS?
REP. PRESSLEY: SUR AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE SENATE -- I SHOULD HAVE MADE THIS EARLIER -- I HAVE BEEN IN CONGRESS FOR SIX MONTH AND I’VE BEEN THE LEAD AUTHOR OF
10 PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND COSPONSORED 130 BILLS AND WRITTEN AND PASSED 10 AMENDMENTS.
ALL OF THOSE BILLS -- THE LION’S SHARE, MANY OF THEM, I WAS INTENTIONAL ABOUT GETTING A SENATE SPONSOR, LEGISLATING IN A WAY THAT IS BICAMERAL TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF IT
BEING MOVED.
JANET: HAVE YOU BEEN CONSISTENT IN THAT WAY?
REP. PRESSLEY: ABSOLUTELY.
MY FIRST BILL WITH TINA SMITH OUT OF MINNESOTA WAS TO PROVIDE BACK PAY FOR FEDERALLY CONTRACTED SERVICE WORKERS -- CUSTODIANS, FOOD SERVICE WORKERS, SECURITY WORKERS -- WHO
WERE NOT MADE WHOLE AFTER THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THAT INTO OUR APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE.
SENATOR BOOKER AND I HAVE PARTNERED ON MATERNAL MORTALITY.
I’M IN CONSULTATION WITH POLICY SHOPS OF OLD THE SENATE 2020 -- I’VE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION WITH SENATOR WARREN AND WORKING ON THINGS WITH SENATOR HARRIS FROM AND THIS IS THE SECOND THING
SENATOR BOOKER AND I ARE DOING.
BABY BONDS IS THE SECOND.
IT IS NOT A REPARATIONS BILL, BUT I SEE IT IN SOME WAYS AS COMPANION LEGISLATION THAT GETS AT AND CAN -- INCOME INEQUALITY AND THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP.
WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT EVERY CHILD WHEN THEY ARE BORN WILL HAVE A SEED ACCOUNT -- JANET: REGARDLESS OF WHAT FAMILY?
REP. PRESSLEY: EVERY FAMILY, IT WILL ACCRUE OVER TIME, TIED TO FAMILY INCOME.
THOSE FAMILIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IN THE BOTTOM WILL EARN